Last month, I had a dinner meeting with the Canadian sponsorship decision maker for a large international brand name company. We were discussing sponsorship marketing and strategy. At one point (and not the first time the topic has come up with this client), we got onto the subject of people who represent properties and their “sales” approach. He commented, and I had to agree, that the “art of sales” and the “process of sales” seem to have disappeared. Those who “pitch” proposals (or even those pitching solutions) effectively and efficiently seem few and far between!

I often hear folks say, “I followed up a few weeks ago” or “I don’t want to bother them.” When we are selling a product, we need to understand that, be it a sponsorship program, a used car, or Botox, we are providing a service that is needed, wanted, or could be used to improve the situation. We are being helpful, not harassing when we follow up. If you want the business, you need to ask for it—ask for it until the answer is no, then find out why the answer is no, and decide the next steps from there. If we are to succeed, we have to be way better “salespeople.” So, I thought I would share some thoughts about salespeople and success.

• Schedule your follow-up. With multiple communication channels (face-to-face, phone, email, social media—multiple platforms), you can reach out to people from different angles—use them different days and times.

• Don‘t stop reaching out until they say they are not interested. Ask some of our clients (and people who didn’t sign with us) how I as the “sales guy” never gave up until I got an answer. Sometimes the cycle will be long (for us at the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists®, the average timeline from prospect clearance to closing is 35-37 months) but this allows you to build the relationship further.

• That leads to the next point—build the relationship. Sponsorship sales are not transactional sales. They are customized proposals built around an understanding of the prospect’s business needs. Spend time with those prospects.

• In today’s world, you don’t need to be all about “the ask” all the time! Provide information, access, etc. My weekly Tuesday Morning Commentary touches all my prospects once a week. I post and share on LinkedIn and tweet about industry happenings. I also email articles, leads, and information to prospects. All of that builds the relationship.

• Once you leave or fail to continue to communicate with your prospects on a regular basis, they find others to communicate with… and those others are the great salespeople who are there for the prospects when needed. When you stop communicating, you lose the opportunity to get the sale!

• Remember, an average of 2% of sales are made on the first visit or call. Eighty percent of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth.

• Only 10% of salespeople make more than three contacts!

Do the math. If you want to be successful, build the relationship, continue to call and follow up with your prospects and provide them with value! You don’t have to be pushy or aggressive. You just have to believe in your product and know it will help the prospect with what they want to achieve. Then FOLLOW UP!

These are just one person’s thoughts.  Yours are welcome as well.  Please add your thoughts or comments below.  Thank you for reading and your feedback.

© 2015. All rights reserved.